Quebec 13-year-old in critical condition after being buried in snow

Chateauguay police say they believe a teen girl was buried in a collapsed snow tunnel, critically injuring her.

A 13-year-old girl remains in critical condition after being found outside a home in Châteauguay, on Montreal`s South Shore, on Tuesday afternoon.

Châteauguay police told CTV News they are still investigating the cause of her injuries but believe she may have been buried by a collapsed snow tunnel.

Police were called to the home on Astrale Street at 4 p.m., where they found the girl unconscious.

She was taken to Sainte-Justine Hospital, where she remains in critical condition.

Châteauguay Mayor Eric Allard said even before the incident, the city had felt compelled to issue a warning about children playing in snowbanks.

“During the snow, the snow operation, the snow removal operation, we saw some tunnels that were made by kids,” he said. “Those things bring up a lot of worries.”

Montreal Children’s Hospital trauma centre director Debbie Friedman added now is not the time to build snow forts or tunnels.

“Given the volume of snow that we have and given the density of the snow, these are not great conditions to do this activity,” she said.

Adding to the danger, she said, are the fleets of heavy vehicles on the road and the low visibility caused by the towering snow drifts.

“Kids need supervision at all times when they’re playing in and around snow structures, and they should have a buddy. They shouldn’t be out there alone. They need to be checked on often,” she said.

Allard said the community’s heart goes out to the family affected by the incident and reminded people of the dangers of snow.

“The message has to be sent out and understood as much as possible. We don’t want to have another incident like that,” he said.